Fast-tracking rental housing and small hotels in Vancouver
The City of Vancouver is proposing zoning changes to make it easier to build rental homes and small hotels along major arterials and in more neighbourhoods. These proposed changes align with the Vancouver Plan’s goal of equitable housing and complete neighbourhoods. They are designed to help more people find housing, offer a wider variety of places to live and stay near transit and amenities across the city, and make the building process simpler and faster so that more housing can be built.
The proposed changes focus on C-2 (commercial mixed-use) and RR (residential rental) zoning.
Proposed new C-2 subzone (low-rise mixed-use) will
Rezone approximately 2,400 parcels across four C-2 type zones (C-2, C-2B, C-2C and C-2C1) into a new, simplified C-2 subzone.
Allow 6-storey rental buildings and hotels along major arterials in more areas. This would make the approval process for rental housing faster, simpler and more predictable by removing the need for individual site-by-site rezoning applications.
Most sites within C-2 type zones already allow 6-storey rental buildings. The update will bring most remaining sites into alignment.
Introduce more flexible design options to support a smoother permitting process for different types of projects, including low-rise mixed-use buildings and low-rise hotels.
Require ground floor commercial space in key areas while providing exceptions for “locked-in lots” where commercial uses cannot be accommodated (i.e., lots that are too small to provide functional commercial space and cannot be combined with adjacent lots due to recent re-development next door)
Proposed changes to RR type zones (Residential rental) will
In fully residential rental developments, allow 6-storey market rental apartment buildings without below-market rental requirements.
In mixed- use residential rental development, provide flexibility by reducing or removing below-market rental requirements where not financially feasible.
These changes are part of the City’s broader Housing Vancouver Strategy, which prioritizes secure rental housing and geographic equity in housing supply. Public input will inform final recommendations to Council in Q2 2026.
Q&A
The opportunity to ask questions through the Q&A is available from November 27 to December 18, 2025.
We post all questions as-is and aim to respond within two business days. Some questions may require coordination with internal departments and additional time may be needed to post a response.
Please note that the comment form will remain open after the Q&A period. The Rezoning Planner can also be contacted directly for any further feedback or questions.
